Lord Thomas has a-hunting gone to hunt the fallow deer-o, Margaret to the greenwood went to see her lover there. He looked o’er his left shoulder to see what might be seen-o, And Margaret he saw nearby riding without a care. Thomas called his servants all, by one, by two, by three-o, “Hunt, go hunt that wild woman, go hunt her far from me. They hunted high, they hunted low, the hunted o’er the plain-o. The scarlet robes Margaret wore would ne’er again be seen. Chorus Hunting high and hunting low, by one, by two, by three-o Hunting high and hunting low, by one, by two, by three. Then Margaret spied a tall young man riding through the lanes-o, She called to him as she got near for he was all alone. “Some relief, I pray grant me, for I’ve been wronged in love-o, I’ve been chased from my county”, poor Margaret she did groan. “No relief, thou lady fair, will I grant unto thee-o, ‘Til you renounce all other men, my wedded wife to be.” He set her on her milk white steed, himself upon the grey-o, And cheerfully they rode away, chatting her and he. Chorus “Lady Margaret one day sat on her window seat-o, Singing to herself as she was stitching silken gowns. There she saw a begging man wandering through the lane-o, She saw he was that Lord Thomas who’d ran her from the bounds. “Some relief, I pray grant me, thou’st seem a lady fair-o. I was a lord before I was banished from my county.” “No relief,” the lady cried, “will you get from me-o. And if I had thee in my bower, thou hanged dead would be” Chorus No, Margaret” the lord replied, “such things will never be-o. I’ll kill your husband with a sword and take thee off with me.” “No, Lord Thomas,” Margaret cried, “such things must never be-o. In my cellars I have wine; I’ll take a drink with thee.” Margaret called her servants all, by one, by two, by three-o, “Fetch three bottles of blood-red wine, this lord to drink with me.” They fetched three bottles of blood-red wine, they’d been asked to bring-o The lady with her fingers small poisoned them all three. Chorus She took her cup in her slim hand with her slender fingers-o. Put it to her rosy lips, but ne’er a drop did drink. Lord Thomas with his manly hand took his cup to drink-o He put it to his lips and supped without a care to think. “I’m so wearied from this drink,” said Thomas to the lady-o “Well, I was weary that fine day when you set your hounds at me. I’ll bury you, oh Lord Thomas as poisoned you have been-o And when my good lord home doth come, we’ll drink a toast to thee”. Chorus x2

In Scotland there are Ladies fair, those of honour and high degree. But one excels above all the rest, Earl of Arundel’s only child is she. Knights and Lords courted Lady Anne, but none she liked enough to wed. Then came the day Anne had to choose. “You should choose Lord Fenix.” Earl Arundel said. Poor Anne had tears coming from her eyes. “You are my father, who dear loves me. But I love a serving-man so poor and all he has is but pounds three.” Her father was angry, to Fenix he rode, and Anne called up her servant boy. “To Strawberry Castle please will you ride, where my Tom Potts is in employ?” “Take this letter that’s writ in my hand and watch when Tom it looks upon. And if he laughs or if he smiles. I must seek a new love and Tom will be gone.” But if he has tears within his eyes, to Tom I’ll be true for all my life. But tell him that in fourteen nights, I must be Lord William Fenix’s wife.” So Jack rode off to see Tom Potts, saying, “Read this letter from your love, Anne.” The tears ran from poor Tom Potts eyes. He said, “Fenix must win her by his own hand.” “On Guilford Green I will him meet and stay the wedding or lose my life.” Young Jack raced back to his mistress, Anne, saying Tom wanted her for his wife. Tom Potts went to his master’s door, saying, “I have a lady true to me, And unto her I’ll ne’er be false. but must lose my love to poverty.” “Lord Fenix will have her as his wife.” “Now hold your tongue!” his master cried. “There’s something I will do for thee: Give Strawberry Castle for you and your bride.” “I’ve horses, spears and armour too. And I’ll ride as your man at your rear.” “Thank you, Sir, for your kindness, but I’ll just take a nag and a single spear.” Tom early rode out to Guilford Green. Told Fenix “You’re taking my true love from me.” Lord Fenix was angry, said “Heaven forbid! A serving man won’t take my lady.” Early next morning both Fenix and Potts, Met at Guilford Green full eagerly. Fenix speared Potts right through his thigh, but Tom soon sprang up with energy. Tom speared Fenix straight through the arm, saying “Fight or yield the Lady to me.” “I can’t hold my spear so the Lady I’ll yield. I won’t keep this serving-man from his Lady.” “To save my honour, let Lady Anne choose. We’ll stand at each end of Two Mile Lane, And set the Lady in our midst. If she chooses you the Lady you’ll gain” The Lady and maids walked Two Mile Lane. Anne said, “Tommy Potts, I’ll now be your bride.” And to all you Ladies of high degree, marry for love, not money or pride.”

There was a worthy Lord of Lorn, a lord of High Degree. He and his wife had but one son, who they sent to learn chivalry. The son was so quick to learn, studied at every turn, he was gentle and bright and carefree. He learned more in just one day than most of his peers learnt in three. The son went to his father’s hall after three years of learning. Saying, “father I return to thee, I can read all those pages you’re turning.” His father was jubilant, said, “France must be your intent, to learn languages of many lands.” Go thee now to foreign shores for that, son, is my next command. His mother with her watchful eye, asked, “Who’ll go with him abroad?” The Lord of Lorn said his steward was to trust to go with the young lord. They gave the man money free, dressed them both in finery, said “We trust you as honest and right.” The Steward cried, “If I prove false, an ill death I will hope to die.” The two sailed off to France’s shores but the steward proved harsh and unkind. He gave the young lord no money so no drink or meat could he find. At a river to knees did sink as water he tried to drink but the false steward tried to drown him. The young lord pleaded mercy there, saying “I’ll give you my clothes with fine trim.” The steward let him have his life, said, “Tell none, or I’ll kill you I swear.” He took him to an old shepherd’s house said, “Your name is now Pore Disaware.” The shepherd, a kindly man, had no son so he began to care for the lad in his keep. His wife she spoke so tenderly, taught him to look after the sheep. The steward sold the riches off and bought some fine clothes for he Then styled himself as Lord of Lorn and met the Duke of Normandy. He courted his daughter fair, said the duke, to a great fanfare, “Here’s a thousand pounds a year. If you will wed my young daughter, who to me is very dear.” One day the young lady riding went as she did often go. She saw a shepherd tending sheep and out to him she spoke. The boy fell on bended knee, out of pure chivalry, the lady asked where he came from. “I was born in fair Scotland, it's the land where my family belong.” “Tell me more about yourself,” asked the young lady fair. “Well, for 2 years I’ve been shepherd here, my name is Pore Disaware.” She asked, “Will you tell to me, this what I ask of thee, have you heard of the Lord of Lorn?” “Oh yes I know that worthy lord, in the country where I was born.” The lady asked the shepherd boy if he’d come into service for she. He could be her chamberlain; she’d give both meat and fee. She went to her father dear, asked him if he would hear, calls for her own chamberlain. The duke replied, “It’s not my choice, you must ask your fiancé the same.” The false steward had since arrived, his lady he saw with the boy He asked him where he came from, to see him made he most annoyed. “I am from Scotland fair, name of Pore Disaware, shepherd on the lonely lee.” “You’re a false young man!” the steward cried, “and I’ll soon prove it of thee.” The lady then spoke forcefully, saying, “If you are cruel to he, Oh Lord of Lorn you’ll it regret and no favours will you get from me.” The duke then asked courteously, “Will you work as groom for me. Will into my stables you go?” The boy agreed to the kind duke, and went there, though now full of woe. 6 months had passed, the boy worked hard, he was friends with all he met. One day he took a gelding out, to the river for drink to get. The horse kicked him in the head, he looked at it then he said “You’ve kicked the true young Lord of Lorn.” He didn’t know the lady was so near and heard what he’d sworn. “Please tell me more,” the lady asked, but the young groom he dare not speak. “Then tell the horse your own story, if you can’t say it to me.” “My father’s the Lord of Lorn, not that imposter born, false steward sent to care for me.” The lady then felt so betrayed, said, “Lord, I will gladly help thee.” She said unto her father dear, “I’ve a task that’s fell unto me. All I ask is will you halt my wedding for but months three?” The lady wrote in her hand a letter to fair Scotland, the Lord of Lorn read it then cried. “Ready now my men to sail, that steward will wish he had died.” They landed on the shores of France and the lady brave they sought. They found the castle of the duke and the old Lord of Lorn went forth. He found his son working there, said, “Bless you my son and heir”, he told the duke of his son’s plight. “Justice now,” the duke he cried, “Our lords judge the steward tonight.” “He’s guilty of such cruel crimes!“ next morning the lords declared. “So, make ye ready, thou false steward, for thy death you should now be prepared.” He was hung, drawn and quartered then afterwards boiled in lead, his body then cut up in bits. They cursed the pieces, then ‘pon a hill, a fire of the body parts lit. The young lord and young lady stood and watched the treacherous steward die. They’d grown quite close throughout the months and their love was plain to the eye. They were married within a year, their families standing near, there was music and laughter and cheer. And in time the younger Lord of Lorn was master of lands he held dear.

Oh, Willie was as brave a lord as ever sailed the sea. And he has gone to the English court to serve for meat and fee. He had not been at the King’s court a twelvemonth and a day, Till he longed for a sight of the King’s daughter, but her he could never see. One day she’s gone to the green wood, Willie followed by moonlight. He bowed so low as by her he did go. She said, “What’s your will, Sir Knight?” ‘Oh, I am not a Knight, Madam, nor ever think to be; For I am Willie O’Douglas Dale, and I serve for meat and fee.’ She says, ‘I’ll gang to my bower and I’ll pray both night and day, To keep me from your tempting looks and from your great beauty.’ But in a little after that he kept Dame Oliphant’s bower, As the love that passed between these two was like paramour. ‘Oh Willie, narrow is my gown, that used to be so wide. And gone is my fair colour, and low laid is my pride. ‘But when my father gets word of this, he’ll never drink again, And when my brothers get word of this, I fear, Willie, you’ll be slain.’ ‘O will you leave your father’s court and go along with me? I’ll carry you unto fair Scotland and make you a lady free.’ She put her hand in her pocket and gave him five hundred pounds: ‘And take you that now, Squire Willie, ‘til away we do run.’ When day was gone and night was come she leapt the castle wall. But Willie caught his gay Lady, he was loath to let her fall. He’s made a fire for his love and bed to lay her down. He’s picked roses that grew beside and fetched water in his horn. He came back to his Lady and a son to him she bore. And he’s taken his son and his Lady gay, wrapped them to keep them warm. He met a maid a-feeding sheep and said, “Will you come with me? And will you serve my Lady fair? We’ll give both meat and fee.” She came before the Lady fair and said, “You’re a Dame, I see.” “Yes, I’m Oliphant, the King’s daughter, will you come to Scotland with me?” So the maid she held the bonny boy and Willie led his Lady. He’s made her lady of Douglas Dale and the Lord of the Dale was he.

Earl Richard had but one daughter, Elizabeth was she. She loved the kitchie boy, Willie, though not of high degree. “Come sit ye down by me Willie, come sit ye down by me. There’s not a lord in all the land that I can love like thee. There’s not a lord in all the land that I can love like thee. The loving looks the lady gave soon made young Willie bold. And loving words the lady spoke his love did soon unfold. She’s given him a golden ring as love between them grew. Said, “If my father hears of this, he’ll punish me and you. “If my father hears of this, he’ll punish me and you.” “But I have a coffer full of gold so a ship you could acquire. Then you could sail the raging sea, just like a lord or squire. But please don’t stay away too long on stormy seas so wild. Come marry me my dear Willie, so we can name our child.” Come marry me my dear Willie, so we can name our child. So Willie sailed away from her, a week but barely three. He landed on the shores of Spain and met a rich lady. “Come sit ye down by me Willie, come sit ye down by me. And you shall drink the finest wine and eat delicious meat. And you shall drink the finest wine and eat delicious meat.” “I cannot leave my bonny ship to stay with you Lady. To Elizabeth I must return, my love in my country.” “Won’t you forsake your fair Lady and be a Spanish lord? I’ll give you land in my country that I can well afford. I’ll give you land in my country that I can well afford.” “I must go to Elizabeth, for my love she be, and more.” And he sailed his ship across the sea, away from Spain’s fair shore. He sailed towards his own true love, a week but barely three. A prosperous wind propelled him on, and home soon landed he. A prosperous wind propelled him on, and home soon landed he. Earl Richard saw the ship in port, he thought a lord was there. For Willie had disguised his face, and tucked up all his hair, He said, “To my castle will you come to meet my daughter dear?” So Willie went off with the Earl to the castle which was near. So Willie went off with the Earl to the castle which was near. Earl Richard told Elizabeth, “I’ve a lord to dine with me. I’ll make him heir of all my lands if he will marry thee.” His daughter cried with flowing tears, “But I love dear Willie. I cannot wed another man that I love less than he. I cannot wed another man that I love less than he.” Then Willie threw off his disguise and embraced his fair lady. Elizabeth then smiled and laughed, saying, “Yes I’ll marry he” The two were married in a month, soon a son to him she bore. Earl Richard never knew the truth; his kitchie boy’s now lord. Earl Richard never knew the truth; his kitchie boy’s now lord.